Pinki Pramanik contemplating retirement

Pune: Her career brought to a halt by a road accident, Doha Asian Games gold medallist Pinki Pramanik is

now mulling retirement and plans to take up coaching after that. Talking to PTI from Kolkata as the first leg of the Asian GP athletics get underway here, the 400 and 800m runner recollected her highly-successful campaign in the 2006 edition of the same meet held in Bangkok, Bangalore and Pune when she had clinched five gold and a silver. "I curse my fate as I happen to be here instead of competing. This is really frustrating. I have recovered fully with a slight niggle in the groin but I cannot compete anymore... whenever, I try to run, I develop excruciating pain in my legs," Pinki said. "I will soon announce my retirement and take up coaching. I will do an NIS coaching course to get a qualified coaching degree. I have a lot to deliver as far as my state (Bengal) athletes are concerned. There are a lot of talented athletes who need the right direction and exposure," she said. On her Asian GP success in the 2006 edition, Pinki said: "That was the most memorable year of my career. Not only I was very successful in the Asian GP bagging five gold and a silver but I won a 4x400 relay team gold in the Asian Games same year." "There was also a silver medal in the same event at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. It`s really sad that I would not be able to this time around as the CWG is coming up in India and the Asian Games (in China)." PTI